Rival Sisters
by Anne la Jordanie
Summary: Once upon a time is not the right beginning for this story of mine. This is no fairy story. The only magic in this story is a dark magic, hellish and grotesque. AU.


Rival Sisters

AN: This story is based off of the ballad The Twa Sisters And Patricia C. Wrede's Cruel Sisters. I thank Kittey Rin for inspiring this with her Interpreted Fairytales series. This is for her. I'm afraid none of the characters are showing their more flattering sides, but that is the point. Sometimes our unpleasant sides take over...

Once upon a time is not the right beginning for this story of mine. Once upon a time implies it happened long ago. This story so recent the grass has not yet grown over their graves. And once upon a time is how fairy tales begin. This is no fairy story. The only magic in this story is a dark magic, hellish and grotesque. And there will be no happy ending. I've already mentioned the graves; I've not yet told you of the empty grave between them, waiting for me.

I do not know how it began, for I did not meet my cousins until I was twelve. It was then that my poor mother and little brother died and my father sent me, his girl-child, to his brother's court. I never saw him again, but I do not care. I rarely saw him before that. He was always riding off to do battle for his brother, the king's, enemies. I have never understood the joy in killing people. Perhaps that is why I still cannot understand what happened.

My cousins were thirteen and eleven, and they were both girls, so I was the perfect companion for my royal kinsmen. Thus I was to sleep between them, eat between them, sit at lessons between them, embroider, ride, hawk, sing, and dance between them. The reason I was always between them was they were continually fighting. Everyone ignored it; to this day I've never heard someone mention their enmity. Maybe I was the only one to see it. But I don't think so.

Kikyo was the elder and she was as regal as any queen. Her skin was Chinese porcelain and her eyes were pools of Spanish chocolate. Russian sable was not as black as her hair, which was as soft and thick as Italian velvet. She was distant and haughty, but she was fond of me in her way. Her strange kindness and imperial manners saved me from the many vicious harpies who haunt royal courts.

Kagome was the younger and she was much like her sister in appearances, though she was slightly darker skinned and favored curling her hair. She was much more energetic than Kikyo; she was the one who love to ride, hunt, and hawk. I was forever racing after her, calling for a maid to fix her muddied and torn hem. She was the golden child of the court, pretty and bright, but vain as a peacock.

I was Sango, the poor country cousin of the beautiful princesses. My hair was thick and long, but a dark brown instead of their dramatic black. My skin was neither snowy white nor peach pink. I had brown eyes just like they did, but not so deep and rich. In all ways I was the missing middle princess of fairy tales, but I've already told you this was no fairy tale. I was jealous of my perfect, beautiful, royal cousins.

The princesses hated each other. I do not know why; they never told me and I could only guess. I suppose it was because they were so different, but they looked so alike they were forever being compared. It became a competition that encompassed their whole lives. Things like a new hair ribbon, a fine horse, a pretty song, and a handsome beau became weapons. The contest drove them to be the finest ladies of the court, rivals in everything. It was a deadly game of horrible beauty.

But they loved me. Loved me with a passion I could not understand any more than I could their hatred of each other. I became one more contest between them, I think, but eventually they gave up. It was not that I spent equal time with each. It was that I avoided their company as much as I could. It was not easy; I was supposed to be their companion. But at any free moment I would run to my secret place, leaving them to quarrel in their bower.

Now I have to wonder if leaving them was the cause of all this.

Once, after my morning lessons with them, I snuck away to my secret place. It was a quiet place just outside the walls of the castle, by the river. It was placid then, during the warm summer months, but in the early spring it was a violent torrent. There had been some trouble that morning and I wanted to be alone.

Kagome had told a maid that Kikyo had ruined her new dress on purpose. The maid had told their mother, the queen, who punished Kikyo, beating her. It was not a harsh punishment for ruining an expensive gown, but I still remember Kikyo's face. Her eyes were like stones and her mouth was twisted. She was not so pretty then.

As I was walking back to the castle through the garden I heard weeping. Curious, I peered through the trees of the orchard to the small patch of roses. They were untamed and thorny in that small out of the way place. It was Kagome weeping as Kikyo dangled her dress over the briars. It was not her new dress, which had been ruined; it was the green silk dress that was Kagome's favorite. I could hear Kikyo's cold voice.

"Admit you lied to that maid."

"You know the truth! Give me back my dress!"

"No. It was a lie that I ruined you dress, but it will be true now."

I watched as Kikyo flung the dress into the roses, watched the green silk tear on the thorns. I now knew that Kagome had lied about her dress and it chilled me to know how the two princesses hated each other. But I never told anyone, even them, what I had seen. I never heard their explanations for another ruined gown, but neither were punished.

It was when I was sixteen that my father died in battle. He had been the king's only brother and heir. With his death I gained all of his lands; I was a lady in my own right now and incredibly wealthy. The men who had before swarmed around my royal cousins began to eye me. I did not grieve much, as I was no stranger to loss. I hardly knew the man lying in the casket and thought my life would be little changed.

But Kikyo was now the heir to the throne and a great ceremony was planned to confirm this. Everyone was very kind to me, thinking that I must be angry that Kikyo was benefiting from my father's death. I was not, but now I realize the one who needed sympathy was Kagome. Kikyo was to be the next queen and I was wealthy and fussed over. Kagome had nothing and would do anything to gain the attention of the court again.

It was at the celebration that I first laid eyes on InuYasha. He was the bastard half brother of Lord Sesshomaru and had no money, only a small estate in the country. But he was handsome with silver hair as long as my own and golden eyes. Every woman of the court loved him but me. I did not like him at all. It was not only that he was impetuous and bad-mannered. It was that same horrible beauty that my cousins had.

Kikyo was the center of attention for the next month. She was to receive her own household and lands. Fittings for dresses and balls took up all of her time. Kagome and I were pushed to the side. We got new dresses, but none so fine as Kikyo's. Admirers brought us flowers, but Kikyo had more than both of us combined. I did not mind; I was used to being marginal, but Kagome was not.

I should have seen it, but I was only too happy to slip away to my secret place.

InuYasha had caught the eye of Kikyo at one of the balls or feasts or hunts that were continually going on. I don't know exactly when. I could not understand it. InuYasha was too wild and vulgar; Kikyo was quiet and refined. But there they were, always dancing, riding, talking together.

I told her that I thought him all wrong for her, but she insisted that she loved him. I told her that he was too far below her rank, but she told me she would ask her father to grant him more titles. I told her that he would make a terrible king, but she insisted that he would change. For awhile I even believed her.

But then the brilliant month of festivity was over and life was back to normal. Our lessons resumed and Kikyo's suitors thinned again. Kagome and Kikyo didn't fight at all; Kikyo was busy with InuYasha and Kagome merely sulked. I didn't understand, but I didn't care. I was again the only one on the sidelines, the forgotten cousin, the one secretly envious of the princesses.

Kagome brooded through the fall and I ignored her. Kikyo rambled on about InuYasha and I ignored her. Finally it was Christmas and the court broke into celebration once more. Kagome finally smiled and laughed and danced again. She was the darling of the court again. I thought it all to the good.

But her beauty attracted more beaus to her, like bees to a flower. Among them was InuYasha. Her energetic conversation enchanted him. He was always with Kagome now, leaving Kikyo behind as they galloped through the snow, hunting boar. And Kikyo, alone and forgotten, came to me.

I comforted her, knowing that my own lonesome state calmed her more than I ever could. I did not tell her my true feelings that InuYasha was better suited to Kagome anyways or that she should not have encouraged his suit in the first place. But she wept all the harder when InuYasha asked for Kagome's hand that spring and the King gave it. It was a great scandal. I wanted peace. I went to Kagome.

She was alone in the bower we all shared, painting her face for yet another ball when I spoke to her. I offered to hold her mirror for her and told her how lovely she looked. She smiled and leaned closer to the polished silver. I spoke.

"Please, do not hurt Kikyo like this."

"She has hurt me often enough in my life."

"Make amends with her before you leave. Please."

"Alright, for you."

And so it was all for me that Kagome and Kikyo went walking by the river. Maybe it was not my fault what happened next. Maybe none of it was my fault. Maybe my own jealousy of them was to blame, maybe not. Maybe if I had not hidden in my secret place to escape so often it would not have happened. Maybe if I had told someone about the dress Kikyo threw into the briar things would be different. But I don't know.

Kikyo came back alone, he dress muddied and torn. She told us all how Kagome had fallen in, how she had begged for help, how she could not reach the hand Kikyo had offered. How the current had swept my poor cousin, the princess who was to have been married soon, away from her sister's reaching arms.

Even then I wasn't sure whether to believe her. I remembered their rivalry. I knew that out of my sight they had done vicious, cruel things to each other. But Kagome had said that she would try to make amends. Kikyo had not looked angry when I saw them leave. Had they fought? I don't know. It didn't matter. Kagome was dead.

The king ordered searches, but no body was found. It was not until later that we found out what had happened. The harper told us the whole grisly tale. But that is further on in the story, for he did not come until midsummer.

All spring we grieved. Kikyo was given the lands her sister had had, but she only wept. InuYasha mourned his bride-to-be, but once or twice I caught him eyeing Kikyo. He had loved Kagome, but Kikyo was still the future queen, all the richer after Kagome's death. I did not worry; I knew Kikyo would never take him back.

Slowly the rains of spring let up and the grief of the court lifted. Only the king and queen, Kikyo and I still mourned for Kagome. InuYasha made a few advances to Kikyo, but she always rebuffed him, icily reminding him of her sister's tragic death. And so court life crept on, until the harper came.

It was a bright summer day when he arrived. I saw him at the gate; I had been down at my secret place, but it was no longer calming. In the blue waters I saw Kagome's screaming face and worried once more that Kikyo had lied and pushed her in. The harper saw me and bowed. I stopped, in no mood for the courtly games one was supposed to play with handsome men.

"Tell me, beautiful lady, are you the princess of this castle?"

"No. I am her cousin, Lady Sango."

"I am Miroku, fair Lady Sango. I play the harp."

I wonder now what he would have said had I been Kikyo. I do not think I wish to know. He was a pleasant fellow, but there was something about him that was grim and dark. It frightened me, so I was not pleased to see him during dinner. It did not surprise me that he had been asked to play for us. The queen had commissioned minstrels and tumblers before in an effort to lighten our hearts.

But this harper did not lighten our hearts; he made them heavier than ever.

Before us he placed a harp, but he did not play it. He bowed to us all and began to speak. It was a ghastly tale, one full of the dark magic I have told you of. Ladies fainted and the king and queen wept. InuYasha grew pale. I stared from the harper to Kikyo and back. My cousin looked frozen.

He spoke of how he had been passing a mill when he heard a woman's scream. The miller's daughter had seen the body of a maiden in the river. He explained that he and the miller pulled the drowned girl out of the water. He told us how he had made the harp before us of the dead maiden's bones and strung it with her hair. And he said that a miracle had taken place; the harp played itself and sang in the voice of the drowned maid.

"Now, this court shall witness the wonder as well."

I sat beside Kikyo and so was the only one to hear her whisper softly the name of her dead sister. I still can make nothing of it. Did she know what would happen? Did she realize what the harp would say? I never asked. It seemed too unkind.

_"Mother and Father, queen and king, _

_Farewell to you, farewell I sing. _

_Farewell InuYasha, sweet and true, _

_Farewell, cousin Sango, to you. _

_But Kikyo, heir to my land, _

_She killed me for my new husband."_

It was Kagome's lovely crystalline voice, the voice we had not thought to hear again. Kikyo stood, her eyes like stones and her mouth twisted. She was not so pretty anymore. Everyone stared as she walked to the center of the room where the harp stood. She stood there for a moment, just staring at the harp, that horrid look one her face. Then she lifted it and dashed it on the floor, breaking it.

The entire court looked mortified. Everyone but Miroku. He looked unruffled and distant. The queen was weeping. I looked around for InuYasha. He was looked like someone had clubbed him over the head. Miroku stepped forward, taking the remains of the harp from Kikyo.

"You've killed your sister again, you know."

"Then that much of her song is true, now."

"Guards, take her away."

With the king's order the hall sprang to life again. The queen, still sobbing, left, taking her ladies with her. The king followed the guards as they chivied my cousin away. I was left sitting at the high table alone, staring blankly into nothingness as people moved about me. A hand closed over mine. I looked up and realized I had been crying so hard I could barely see the silver haired figure beside me. I wiped my eyes quickly and left before InuYasha could speak.

Moving across the hall as through a dream I was not surprised when my path took me to the harper Miroku. Shadowy eyes met mine steadily. I gazed at him, picturing him cutting apart Kagome's body, plucking her hair to make his vile harp. I could not quite hate him, but that horrible darkness loomed over him, clouding his features with grief and pain.

He was not unkind, however. He placed the broken harp upon the table and turned toward me. His face showed his pity; pity for this poor cousin who was not like the beautiful girl he had found in the river or the icy princess who his harp had accused. It could have been that my anger showed, for his voice was soft and placating.

"I'm sorry for your distress, but the truth should be known."

"My cousin Kagome... She lied and blamed Kikyo all her life. I do not know if Kikyo pushed her into the river or not; they hated each other equally. But I know that InuYasha was never true to either of them. If the harp lied about that, how do we know what truly happened by the river?"

Miroku could offer me no answer, and I could not offer myself one either.

Kikyo was imprisoned in the bower she and Kagome had shared with me. I tried to tell the king that the harp was not to be believed without question, but he would not hear it. He had not heard Kikyo and Kagome that day in the patch of roses. I, however, kept seeing Kikyo's face twisted in fury, hearing her say "that much of her song is true, now." I had heard those words before. "I will make it true now," she had said that day by the roses.

Had Kagome lied again? Or had Kikyo been too proud to let her sister marry the man she loved? Had I been too jealous of them both to stop their feud? I don't know.

I do know that not long after we buried the remains of the harp Kikyo flung herself from her window. Perhaps her pride would not let her live with the shame of imprisonment. They at least had the decency to not bury her beside the sister she had hated. Instead they left a place between them; a place for me when I died. Even in death I would be between them, trying to stop the fighting.

And now I am the only heir to the throne. The men come flocking to me now, including InuYasha. I wonder if my cousins' beauty was really what made the men love them. I hide from those fortune-seekers in a new secret place, the library. That is where I am now, writing this. A maid is dusting the shelves and singing softly. It is a song I have come to know too well. I do not know, but I think Miroku wrote it.

_"There were two sisters in one bower..."_

AN: The point of this is to see all the characters from an outside angle, particularly Kagome and Kikyo. I emphasized their faults; pride, vanity, envy, melancholy, and selfishness. This is my first attempt at an AU, so tell me how I did, please?


End file.
